Nonrefillable bottle



April 13, 937. H. H. THORNTON NONREFILLABLE BOTTLE Filed Sept. 13, 1935 Zn i! Ina/e Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES oFFieE 7 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in nonrefillable bottles and more particularly to a novel closure of the type adapted to close tightly when the bottle is in a substantially upright position.

Known types of closures of this character are chiefly objectionable because they are unreliable in closing, costly to manufacture, and often embody a construction which permits unauthorized tampering and refilling of a bottle. Other known types of closures include rubber, cork, or metal parts which often are seriously eifected by chemical action of the contents of the bottle. This is particularly true when known types of non-refillable bottles contain pharmaceutical preparations, acids, cr other chemicals. Another objection to known types of closures is that their construction requires a radical departure from the conventional form of bottle neck and often can be used only in bottles of special construction.

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, positively actuated closure to prevent relling of a bottle.

Another object is to provide a closure adapted to be tted into a bottle neck which can not be removed or tampered with to allow refilling of the bottle.

Another object is to provide a gravity actuated automatic closure for a bottle which will not restrict the free ilow of the contents therefrom.

Another object is to provide a closure of the character referred to' which may readily be inserted and secured permanently in a slightly altered bottle neck of standard construction.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view through the neck of a bottle showing an embodiment of the closure securely mounted` therein.

2 isa sectional viewsimilar to Fig'. l, showing the bottle inverted and the Valve open.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the closure, showing parts in position for insertion into the bottle neck. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on line II--4` of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the keeper.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View of a closure, embodying a modified form` of locking element.

The improved bottle neck closure is particularly adapted for use in a bottle having the inside periphery of the lower end I2 of its neck portionv of reduced diameter and an internal peripherial recess I3, substantially spherical in contour, providing a valve seat in said neck above the reduced diameter. The ncvelrclosure includes a body or keeper i4 preferably cylindrical in shape, adapted to conform to and have a snug fit within the neck.A of the bottle. A centrally located recess I5 of suitable depth is provided in one end of the body I4, leaving a comparatively thin wall 6 at the other end. A stem Il, freely mounted in recess I5, has a valve I8` on its end formed with a seating surface I9 adapted to conform to the contour of and seat on the valve seat provided by peripherial recess I3 when the closure is in place and the bottle is in a substantially upright position. The valve I 8 preferably has a boss 2l on one face to insure closing of the valve by gravity to seal the bottle neck passage when the bottle is substantially upright. 1

The keeper It is adapted to be securely retained in the bottle neck and to this end a plurali'ty of suitable locking elements are provided therein to engage in the peripherie-l recess I3 of the bottle neck. As shown, in the preferred embodiment, the locking elements each' preferably include a key or pin 22 slidingly mounted one in each diametrically opposed opening 23 in the keeper. Although two locking elements are shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that any suitable number may be employed.

Each opening 23 is countersunk, as at 24, to receive a ball 25, constituting a part of each locking element, which normally is entirely embedded in the keeper Ili with its periphery substantially flush with the periphery of said keeper, as shown in Fig. 3. In this figure, the closure is shown with its various parts in position to permit insertion of the closure into the neck of the bottle. Such positioning of the locking elements is effected by providing an annular L groove 26 in the valve stem I'l which, when positioned in alignment with openings 23, receives the inner ends of keys 22 and allows the balls- Z5' to remain ilush with the surface of the keeper.

This position of the parts can be readily maini tained by placing a strip of paper or other suitable material (not shown) around the keeper. The paper is removed' prior to insertion of the closure in the bottle neck.

When the closure is fitted into the neck of' the bottle and moved downwardly, positioning the.' balls 25 in approximate alignment with the peripherial recess I3, said balls are urged outwardly into engagement with said recess because of the normal tendency of the gravity actuated valve I8 to seat in the peripherial recess.

It will be noted that when the closure is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the retaining balls 25 are positively held in the peripherial recess I3 by engagement of the upper portion Ila of Valve stem I'I with the pins, which prevents their being urged inwardly. When the bottle is inverted, as shown in Fig. 2, the weighted valve I8 drops onto the keeper away from its seat. While in this position liquid flows into an annular groove 2l in the periphery of the keeper I4 and then out through a plurality of longitudinal circumferentially spaced grooves 28 in the periphery of said keeper.

When the closure is positioned properly in the bottle neck the annular groove 2'! is in approximate alignment with recess I3 in the bottle neck, however, to insure an unrestricted ilow of the liquid, additional longitudinal grooves 29 preferably are provided in the periphery of keeper ill which preferably are staggered relative to grooves 28. By staggering grooves 28 and 29 unauthorized insertion of an instrument, such as a wir is prevented, thus avoiding the possibility of engaging and raising the valve I8 o its seat to rell the bottle.

Because of the engagement of the valve stem Il behind pins 22, when the bottle is inverted, the balls :25 are positively held in the bottle. neck recess at all times, hence the balls cannot be moved into the keeper to release and remove they closure.

In the structure illustrated in Fig. G, each key element or pin is made in two parts which normally align with each other when the retaining balls 25a are entirely within the keeper. The outer end of each two part pin 22a. preferably engages in a recess 3l in the respective bali 25a. When the retaining balls 25a are in engagement with recess I3 one portion of each two part pin 22a drops out of alignment with its respective opening, as shown, and wedges between the associated ball 25a and its recess 2da. With this form of locking means the disaligned portions of pins 22a can never be realigned.

As the entire closure preferably is made of glass, none of the parts are readily subjected to deterioration. The closure also has the advantage of being applicable to bottles which can be produced or altered at low cost.

Although exemplary forms of construction are Shown in the drawing and described in detail in the specication, it is to be understood that the detail structure of various parts may vary from that shown without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims,

, I claim:

l, In combination with a bottle neck having an internal peripherial recess and a valve seat, a keeper adapted to be inserted in said bottle neck, fluid passageways in said keeper, a valve on said keeper adapted to co-cperate with said valve seat, and valve actuated means mounted in said keeper adapted to engage in said recess to retain the assembly in place.

2. In combination with a bottle having a neck formed with an internal peripherial recess and a valve seat, a keeper adapted to t snugly in said neck, a gravity actuated valve on said keeper adapted to cooperate with said valve seat, a recess in said keeper to receive a portion of said valve,

and means in said keeper arranged to cooperate with said valve portion adapted to engage in said peripherial recess to retain the keeper and Valve in place.

3. In combination with a bottle having a neck portion of reduced diameter providing a valve seat and an internal peripherial recess above said valve seat, a keeper adapted to fit snugly in said bottle neck, a central recess in Said keeper, a valve adapted to cooperate with said valve seat, a stem on said valve extending into the central recess, and means in said keeper adapted to engage the peripherial recess to lock the assembly in the bottle neck, said means being actuated and retained in its position of engagement by said valve stem.

4. A bottle having a neck portion of reduced diameter, a valve seat in said neck, an internal peripherial recess in said neck above said valve seat, a keeper adapted to t snugly in said bottle neck, a valve mounted in said keeper, said valve being adapted to cooperate with said Valve seat, means actuated by said valve slidably mounted in said keeper adapted to engage in said recess, and a plurality of fluid passageways in said keeper,

5. A closure for a bottle neck having an internal peripherial recess and a valve seat therein, comprising, in combination, a keeper adapted to fit snugly into said bottle neck, a fluid passage- Way in said keeper, a valve in said keeper adapted to cooperate with said valve seat, a valve stem on said valve, a circumferential groove in said valve stem, one or more locking elements in said keeper arranged to engage in said groove prior to insertion of the closure into the bottle neck, said elements being adapted to engage in the peripheral recess when the valve is in open or closed position, and means in said elements to prevent disengagement of said elements from the peripherial recess.

6. In combination with a bottle having a neck portion of reduced diameter providing a valve seat and an internal peripherial recess above said valve seat, a keeper adapted to fit snugly in said neck, a central recess in said keeper, a Valve adapted to cooperate with said valve seat, a stem on said valve extending into said central recess, radial openings in said keeper c ommunieating with said recess, a plunger in each opening, a ball in each opening outwardly of the plunger,

said plungers being engaged by said valve stem i and urged outwardly to position the balls for engagement in said peripherial recess when the keeper is in place in the bottle neck, and means in said valve stem to allow inward movement of the plungers to enable the balls to move into the openings so as not to extend beyond the peripherial face of the keeper.

'7. A closure for a bottle neck having a valve seat therein comprising, in combination, a keeper adapted to fit snugly in said bottle neck, fluid passageways in said keeper, a central recess in said keeper, a valve having a stem extending into said recess, said valve being adapted to cooperate, with said valve seat, means in said keeper adaptedl for engagement with said bottle neck to prevent withdrawal of the keeper, said means being held in such engagement by said valve stem, and a groove in said valve stem arranged for cooperative engagement by said engaging means to render said means ineiiective prior to insertion of the keeper into said bottle neck.

HAROLD H. THORNTON.

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